Spiral body lock and method

Abstract

A spiral body lock including a mandrel; a sleeve; and at least one of the mandrel and sleeve including a male component, the other of the mandrel and the sleeve including a recess receptive to the male component at least one of the recess and the male component being helically configured and method.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A spiral body lock comprising: a mandrel; a sleeve; and at least one of the mandrel and sleeve including a helical male component extending in a helical path, the other of the mandrel and the sleeve including a helical recess receptive to the male component and extending in a helical path, each of the male component and recess including a plurality of wickers, each wicker having a trailing face and a leading face, a trailing face of one wicker directly connected to the leading face of an adjacent wicker in a helical direction within the helical path of each of the male component and recess, wherein the wickers of the male component are configured to ratchet past the wickers of the recess in the helical direction of the helical path of the male component and recess. 
     
     
       2. A spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the wickers are directional. 
     
     
       3. A spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the mandrel includes the male component. 
     
     
       4. A spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the male component has a longitudinal length that is longer than a longitudinal length of the recess. 
     
     
       5. A spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 3  wherein the male component has a longitudinal length that is shorter than a longitudinal length of the recess and configured to follow the recess. 
     
     
       6. A spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sleeve includes the male component. 
     
     
       7. A spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the male component has a longitudinal length that is longer than a longitudinal length of the recess. 
     
     
       8. A spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the male component has a longitudinal length that is shorter than a longitudinal length of the recess and configured to follow the recess. 
     
     
       9. A spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sleeve is a tubular component with a helix configured therein. 
     
     
       10. A spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the sleeve is configured as an open helix. 
     
     
       11. A spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the helix comprises flat stock helically wound about an axis. 
     
     
       12. A spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the wickers are positioned at an angle other than perpendicular relative to the helical direction of the helical path of the male component and the helical direction of the helical path of the recess. 
     
     
       13. A method for maintaining a set force in a tool comprising:
 imparting an actuation force to a tool including a spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 1 ; 
 spirally advancing the body lock; and 
 converting axial backlash to spiral movement. 
 
     
     
       14. A method as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the imparting is rotational. 
     
     
       15. A method as claimed in  claim 13  wherein the imparting is axial. 
     
     
       16. A spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the spiral body lock is configured to translate axial movement to helical movement, thereby substantially preventing backlash. 
     
     
       17. A spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the wickers are helically arranged and directly connected to each other to substantially reduce backlash as compared to a body lock having axially configured wickers. 
     
     
       18. A downhole assembly comprising:
 a downhole tool including a compression set packer; and, 
 a spiral body lock as claimed in  claim 1 , the spiral body lock arranged to set the downhole tool.